A co-curricular mentoring experience provides student pharmacists with areas for professional growth

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Pharmacy Innovation Experience and Research (PIER) program aims to provide student pharmacists with co-curricular experiences that augment their essential soft skill training while recruiting underrepresented minority (URM) high school and undergraduate students to the pharmacy profession. The goal of the PIER mentoring program is to enhance the leadership, professionalism, teaching, and cultural sensitivity skills of student pharmacists through their participation in the program.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

During this pilot study, student pharmacists were trained to mentor high school and undergraduate students prior to the start of PIER. Pre- and post-program surveys were used to assess the self-perceived benefit PIER had on the soft skill development of student pharmacists. Survey responses were analyzed using unpaired t-tests.

FINDINGS

There was an observed increase in self-perceived abilities among student pharmacists in mentoring (82% versus 68%), leading a team (94% versus 82%), and teaching (77% versus 64%). In post-program surveys, 90% of the students viewed their experience as useful for their career versus 71% in pre-surveys. While a high percentage felt comfortable interacting with diverse participants (90%) and knowledgeable about diversity issues in healthcare (89%), the data indicated that the PIER program did not have a quantifiable impact on their cultural sensitivity.

SUMMARY

PIER is a co-curricular program for student pharmacists that enhances self-perception of essential soft skills for their careers. Nevertheless, additional assessment of the skills gained through PIER is needed to verify competency. Other schools of pharmacy should recognize the importance of programs like PIER to both recruit URMs to pharmacy schools and provide current students with a co-curricular experience that will encourage their success.

Assessing the Efficacy of a Novel Massive Open Online Soft Skills Course for South Asian Healthcare Professionals

In healthcare professions, soft skills contribute to critical thinking, decision-making, and patient-centered care. While important to the delivery of high-quality medical care, soft skills are often underemphasized during healthcare training in low-and-middle-income countries. Despite South Asia's large population, the efficacy and viability of a digital soft skills curriculum for South Asian healthcare practitioners has not been studied to date. We hypothesized that a web-based, multilingual, soft skills course could aid the understanding and application of soft skills to improve healthcare practitioner knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and intent-to-change clinical practice.In September 2019 a needs assessment observing soft skills practices was conducted in several Indian states. We developed a communication-focused soft skills curriculum that comprised seven 10-minute video lectures, recorded in spoken English and Hindi. Participants consisted of any practicing healthcare professionals and trainees in select South Asian countries age 18 and over. Participant knowledge, confidence, attitudes, and intent-to-change clinical practice were evaluated using pre- and post-course tests and surveys. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA and SPSS.From July 26, 2021 to September 26, 2021, 5750 registered and attempted the course, 2628 unique participants completed the pre-test, and 1566 unique participants completed the post-test. Participants demonstrated small but statistically significant gains in confidence (𝑝<0.001), attitudes toward course topics relevance (𝑝<0.001), and intent-to-change clinical practice (𝑝<0.001). There was no statistically significant gain in knowledge. A digital soft-skills massive open online course for healthcare practitioners in South Asia could serve as a viable approach to improve the quality of soft skills training in low-to-middle income countries.

Interactive learning environment as a source of critical thinking skills for college students

BACKGROUND

The cognitive skills underlying critical thinking include analysis, interpretation, evaluation, explanation, inference, and self-regulation. The study aims to consider the possibility and effectiveness of introducing the mobile game Lumosity: Brain Training into the learning process of first-year Philology students studying at Qiqihar University.

METHODS

The sample included 30 volunteers: 15 girls and 15 boys, whose average age was 18.4 years. Before the experiment start, the respondents took a pre-test based on the Critical Thinking Skills Success methodology, which was developed by the American scientist Starkey. It was stated that intensive one-month training with the use of the Lumosity premium application in the classroom would improve critical thinking skills.

RESULTS

The pre-test results showed that some respondents had had quite good critical thinking skills before the experiment as the average score was 22.13 out of 30 points. The effectiveness was evaluated using the Student's t-test for paired samples. It is established that there are significant differences between standard and empirical values (p = 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

The research can be of interest to those who study the issue of integrating an interactive learning environment into university and student programs, as well as those who consider critical thinking as a field of scientific knowledge and seek to develop critical thinking skills. The novelty of the study is the fact that students were allowed to use the app only during classes, but the research hypothesis was confirmed. This indicates that an interactive learning environment can be considered as a tool for developing students' critical thinking skills in the context of limited screen time.

Professional Skills for Behavior Analysts: A Survey on the Proficiency and Importance of Hard and Soft Skills

Individuals seeking certification as board certified behavior analysts (BCBAs) require training in both hard and professional (soft) skills. Trainees seeking certification complete coursework, supervised fieldwork experience, and a BCBA exam that assesses mastery of hard skills. However, training and mastery of soft skills is not as defined. BCBAs are also expected to maintain these skills throughout their career. Previous research has shown that soft skills are viewed as important by clients and their caregivers but are not consistently demonstrated from those providing services. Research also suggests that BCBA trainees may not consistently receive training on soft skills. The current study presents the results of a survey distributed to individuals who supervise BCBAs on the proficiency of hard and soft skills demonstrated by their supervisees. The results suggest future directions for the research and training of soft skills for current and future BCBAs.

Evolution of journal clubs: fostering collaborative learning in modern research

Journal clubs have been a staple in scientific communities, facilitating discussions on recent publications. However, the overwhelming volume of biomedical information poses a challenge in literature selection. This article provides an overview of journal club types and their efficacy in training potential peer reviewers, enhancing communication skills, and critical thinking. Originating in the 19th century, journal clubs have evolved from traditional in-person meetings to virtual or hybrid formats, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Face-to-face interactions offer personal connections, while virtual events ensure wider participation and accessibility. Organizing journal clubs demands effort, but it has several benefits, including promoting new publications and providing a platform for meaningful discussions. The virtual CardioRNA J-club experience exemplifies successful multidisciplinary collaboration, fostering international connections and inspiring new research. Journal clubs remain a vital component of academic research, equipping senior researchers with the latest developments and nurturing the next generation of scientists. As millennial and Gen Z researchers join the scientific field, journal clubs continue to evolve as a fertile ground for education and collaborative learning in an ever-changing scientific landscape.

Observation of behavioural skills by medical simulation facilitators: a cross-sectional analysis of self-reported importance, difficulties, observation strategies and expertise development

BACKGROUND

The association between team performance and patient care was an immense boost for team-based education in health care. Behavioural skills are an important focus in these sessions, often provided via a mannikin-based immersive simulation experience in a (near) authentic setting. Observation of these skills by the facilitator(s) is paramount for facilitated feedback with the team. Despite the acknowledgement that trained facilitators are important for optimal learning, insight into this observation process by facilitators is limited.

OBJECTIVES

What are the self-reported current practices and difficulties regarding the observation of behavioural skills amongst facilitators during team training and how have they been trained to observe behavioural skills?

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used a pilot-tested, content-validated, multi-linguistic online survey within Europe, distributed through a non-discriminative snowball sampling method. Inclusion was limited to facilitators observing behavioural skills within a medical team setting.

RESULTS

A total of 175 persons filled in the questionnaire. All aspects of behavioural skill were perceived as very important to observe. The self-perceived difficulty of the behavioural skill aspects ranged from slightly to moderately difficult. Qualitative analysis revealed three major themes elaborating on this perceived difficulty: (1) not everything can be observed, (2) not everything is observed and (3) interpretation of observed behavioural skills is difficult. Additionally, the number of team members health care facilitators have to observe, outnumbers their self-reported maximum. Strategies and tools used to facilitate their observation were a blank notepad, co-observers and predefined learning goals. The majority of facilitators acquired observational skills through self-study and personal experience and/or observing peers. Co-observation with either peers or experts was regarded as most learn some for their expertise development. Overall, participants perceived themselves as moderately competent in the observation of behavioural skills during team training.

CONCLUSIONS

Observation of behavioural skills by facilitators in health care remains a complex and challenging task. Facilitators' limitations with respect to attention, focus and (in)ability to perform concomitant tasks, need to be acknowledged. Although strategies and tools can help to facilitate the observation process, they all have their limitations and are used in different ways.

A new standardized tool for quantification of closed-loop communication in trauma care: CAST Grid reliability study

BACKROUND

The CAST Grid has been developed to evaluate the use of closed-loop communication (CLC) in the trauma bay.

METHODS

The CAST Grid and two validated non-technical team performance assessment tools (the TEAM and T-NOTECHS grids) were completed by 2 independent reviewers based on trauma care simulation videos from a French Level 1 trauma center. Intra- and inter-rater agreements were evaluated for CLC parameters and non-technical performance, and correlations between these parameters were analyzed.

RESULTS

The study analyzed 11 videos. The intra- and inter-rater agreement for the number of CLC per minute (CLC/min) was moderate and good, respectively, based on Lin's concordance correlation coefficient [95%CI] (0.57 [-0.40;0.94] and 0.77 [0.33;0.94]). However, the agreement was poor for the percentage of CLC (0.37 [-0.58;0.89] and -0.36 [-0.71;0.14], respectively). The study found that a lower number of CLC/min was correlated with an increased duration of the simulation (r = -0.75 [-0.93; -0.25]).

CONCLUSION

The CAST Grid showed a relatively good inter-rater agreement to quantify the number of CLC/min which was inversely correlated with the duration of care. This tool opens up the possibility of quantifying CLC and allows for new analyses of team functioning and interactions.

Soft skills and their importance in the labour market under the conditions of Industry 5.0

The profound ramifications stemming from a multitude of global events and the ongoing progression of the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions necessitate a broadening of skillsets beyond the mere acquisition of technical and digital proficiencies. The practical, intelligent, responsible, and sustainable utilisation of technologies relies exclusively on human agency. Such employment necessitates a type of cognitive processing that machines find arduous, emphasising the importance of aligning human reasoning with machine intelligence. The significance of digital skills is widely acknowledged within the framework of cultivating suitable sets of employee abilities. Nonetheless, it is imperative to underscore the importance of human skills as they remain irreplaceable by robots. Furthermore, the labour market acknowledges and rewards these skills owing to their capacity to confer flexibility and adaptability, thereby embodying the competing attributes of the future workforce. In light of the prevailing circumstances outlined in Industry 5.0-characterised by an amplified utilisation of technologies and diminished interpersonal interactions resulting from the pervasive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic-this study seeks to provide a theoretical description of the significance of soft skills and their categorisation, while investigating the practical demand for such skills. The dataset used in this study encompasses information pertaining to skill prerequisites extracted from job posts published on a job portal over five years, encompassing 19 000 distinct organisations. The findings of our study revealed that within technologically driven domains, there is a discernible demand for soft skills, such as critical and analytical thinking, problem-solving, communication skills, and creativity with flexibility. Furthermore, our results indicate that individuals must possess balanced proficiency in both soft and digital skills to thrive in a future characterised by technological advancements.

The effect of immersion on sense of presence and affect when experiencing an educational scenario in virtual reality: A randomized controlled study

Virtual reality (VR) technology has been used to learn skills for decades. While no standardized measure exists for learning outcomes in VR training, commonly explored outcomes are immersion, sense of presence and emotions.

Methods

In this paper, the objective was to investigate these outcomes in two VR conditions, immersive and desktop in a randomized controlled trial with a parallel design. The sample consisted of 134 university students (70 women, mean age 23 years, SD = 2.99). These were randomized using a covariate-adaptive randomization procedure based on stratification by gender into two interventions; play out a VR scenario in either desktop (control group) or immersive VR (intervention group). The setting was a university lab.

Results

There was a significant within subject effect for positive affect and a significant between-group effect for the immersive compared to desktop VR groups. Positive affect was reduced after interacting with the VR scenario in both the immersive and desktop versions, however, positive affect was overall higher in the immersive, compared to the desktop version. The results show higher scores for sense of presence (d = 0.90, p < 0.001) and positive affect pre- and post-scenario in the immersive VR condition (d = 0.42, p = 0.017 and d = 0.54, p = 0.002) compared to the desktop condition.

Conclusion

Immersive VR may be beneficial in higher education as it promotes high levels of sense of presence as well as positive emotions. When it comes to changing the immediate emotions of the students, type of VR does not seem to matter. The project was funded by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills.

Understanding students' motivations for participating in a mindfulness course: a qualitative analysis of medical students' views

OBJECTIVES

Improving medical students' wellbeing and empowerment through curricular activities is a topic of interest worldwide. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are increasingly implemented in medical education often as part of elective courses. To better understand training outcomes and adjust curriculum to students' needs, we will explore why will medical students participate in meditation-based education?

METHODS

We analyzed 29 transcripts from the first session of an 8-week MBSR program offered to medical students in French. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using a qualitative content thematic analysis and the constant comparison method.

RESULTS

Analyses resulted in three themes describing students' motivation: (1) Medical education and the physician's role, i.e. improving interpersonal skills, acquiring skills oriented toward a more integrative medicine, being more productive in a highly competitive context. (2) Caring for my health i.e. aiming at stress reduction, emotion regulation, and improving self-compassion. (3) A quest for meaning, i.e. optimizing meaning of care, and meaning of life.

CONCLUSION

The results highlight the congruence between the perceived motivations and the evidence on the effect of mindfulness on self-care, the development of humanistic medical skills, and the meaning of care. Some findings raise the issue of the limits of using mindfulness to enhance one's productivity. Notably, participants articulated the need for self-care as in mindfulness training, with the ability to care for others.

The emergence of social soft skill needs in the post COVID-19 era

Social soft skills are crucial for workers to perform their tasks, yet it is hard to train people on them and to readapt their skill set when needed. In the present work, we analyze the possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on social soft skills in the context of Italian occupations related to 88 economic sectors and 14 age groups. We leverage detailed information coming from ICP (i.e. the Italian equivalent of O*Net), provided by the Italian National Institute for the Analysis of Public Policy, from the microdata for research on the continuous detection of labor force, provided by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), and from ISTAT data on the Italian population. Based on these data, we simulate the impact of COVID-19 on workplace characteristics and working styles that were more severely affected by the lockdown measures and the sanitary dispositions during the pandemic (e.g. physical proximity, face-to-face discussions, working remotely). We then apply matrix completion-a machine-learning technique often used in the context of recommender systems-to predict the average variation in the social soft skills importance levels required for each occupation when working conditions change, as some changes might be persistent in the near future. Professions, sectors, and age groups showing negative average variations are exposed to a deficit in their social soft-skills endowment, which might ultimately lead to lower productivity.

Soft skills in personnel training: Report of publications in scopus, topics explored and future research agenda

Recent research has documented the interest of organizations in training their staff in soft skills, but few studies have been found. Therefore, the objective of this research was to analyze 753 publications in the Scopus database related to soft skills in staff training during the period 1999-2021. These documents were analyzed to identify the main information, the most explored areas, and a future research agenda; all under a bibliometric and bibliographic approach with the help of RStudio and VOSviewer software. The results showed that the keywords with the most co-occurrence were personnel training (n = 110) and soft skills (n = 79). The year with the most documents was 2021 (n = 121). The country with the most publications was the United Kingdom (n = 199). Medicine is the subject area with the most documents (n = 278) and the Article is the type of document with the most studies (n = 566). Eleven areas of further exploration were identified: "Soft skills in software engineering at the higher education level", "Soft skills and communication", "Soft skills and engineering education", "Soft skills in virtual environments", "Soft skills in machine learning", "Serious games in teaching soft skills", "Soft skills for problem-based learning", "Soft skills for project management", "Soft skills and technical skills", "Project-based learning for the assessment of soft skills" and "Soft leadership skills". Five potential areas for future research were derived: soft skills in collaborative work (CSCL), soft skills in computer-aided collaborative work (CSCW), facial expressions as a mirror of soft skills, soft skills for employability and Professional Development Plan (PDP) to assess soft skills. In conclusion, this Review type document on soft skills in personnel training helped to identify the most studied topics during the evaluated period, as well as to identify the little explored topics for future research.

Scientific venturing for early-stage professionals (ESPs), a key concept in the innovation ecosystem

Early-stage professionals (ESPs) and senior scientists who want to transition from academia to the industry need support to develop new skills and know-how to endeavor this challenge. However, this topic is significantly underserved in the field of cell and gene therapy, slowing down ESPs' potential to make this step. The authors of this article, members of the ESPs in the South and Central America Subcommittee at the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy, propose the concept of "scientific venturing," which stands for the process by which scientists become entrepreneurs or part of a company. In our article, we provide key aspects to understand this concept, considering key personality traits that need to be developed and a discussion about the "innovation ecosystem." Later, we consider how scientific venturing may result in an increase in difficulty in nascent innovation ecosystems such as Latin America, in comparison with those more advanced and mature in high-income countries. Finally, we provide key information for the ESPs and other professionals about the stages of private and public investment, including information about the resources needed for the sustainability of companies and startups. Understanding what scientific venturing involves for ESPs is key to taking advantage of the maturity of an innovation ecosystem, its network, and available opportunities.

The effects of UPGRADE your performance on employment soft skills of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A pilot study of generalization

Previous research has identified UPGRADE Your Performance as a method for teaching employment soft skills to students with disabilities. UPGRADE Your Performance instruction is a multicomponent intervention including self-evaluation, self-graphing, goal setting, and technology-aided instruction. This pilot study investigated the generalized effects of UPGRADE Your Performance on soft skills of secondary students with intellectual and other developmental disabilities participating in an 18-21 transition program located on a university campus. Results indicated that when students improved in two targeted soft skill areas, generalization occurred to three non-targeted soft skill areas. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are included.

Impact of using authentic online learning environments on students' perceived employability

The digitalization and globalization of society and the corresponding impact on the rules of the labor market is shifting the education sector toward new pedagogical approaches that integrate wholly online methodologies. Sustainable Development Goal 4 advocates for inclusive and equitable quality education that promotes lifelong learning opportunities, and, as we have seen during the COVID-19 lockdown, online learning can play a key role. In a context where lifelong learning becomes crucial to maintaining graduates' employability, the innovative teaching methodologies that promote employable competencies in online environments are especially desirable. With the purpose of improving the employability of students, this article analyses the impact of introducing the Authentic Learning Scenarios (ALS) paradigm in an online environment. We develop a quasi-experimental design. Based on the nine ALS criteria and their application to e-learning, we redesign a course in a business degree program. Data from 135 students were collected, with special focus on achieving general competences. We compare the perception of the competency profile attained between a group of students who took the course before incorporating the ALS paradigm and another group that took it once it had been redesigned. Results show that redesigning the course enables students to perceive the learning process as more authentic, as well as acquiring a more advanced competence profile. Besides this, it has been shown that technology can contribute to building cognitive authenticity in virtual classrooms, without the need for face-to-face internships, which are often not a feasible option for students of online programs.

Teaching Compassion Skills to Students of Behavior Analysis: A Preliminary Investigation

Socially valid practices are at the heart of applied behavior analysis and can influence how interventions are experienced by families. However, the training of practitioners of applied behavior analysis is primarily focused on the implementation of technical procedures with little focus on therapeutic approaches. Empathy and therapeutic rapport have been associated with improved outcomes in allied professions (Beach et al., Journal of the American Board of Family Practice, 15(1), 25-38, 2006; Hojat et al., Academic Medicine, 86(3), 359, 2011; Horst et al., Journal of Child & Family Nursing, 3, 5-14, 2000), but have been minimally studied within the field of behavior analysis. In the present study, several sources were utilized to identify and define empathic and compassionate care skills. These skills were divided into three skill areas (i.e., basic interviewing skills, interest in the family, joining with the family) and taught to ABA master's students using behavioral skills training via a telehealth platform. All four participants significantly improved their engagement in compassionate care skills following training and maintained these skills in follow-up probes and with a different experimenter. Several post-study measures of outcome were taken, including social validity measures from participants, ratings of compassion from consumer and professional experts, as well as comparison measures on the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy. Participant reports of social validity were high, as were consumer and professional ratings of compassionate behaviors. Improvements on the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy were also observed. Implications for training practitioners and for expanding the focus on compassionate care skill development within the field are explored.

Soft Skills and STEM Education: Vision of the European University EURECA-PRO

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines play an increasingly important role in the current socio-economic context. Higher education systems are working to equip students with the appropriate skills and competencies to cope with current demands and, in particular, to join a labour market strongly informed by STEM disciplines. Many such skills are non-disciplinary and are known as transversal or soft skills. Soft skills, including interpersonal and socio-emotional skills, are highly sought after in the labour market. These skills not only reflect personal abilities but also draw on concepts, such as social responsibility, creativity, ethics, and emotional intelligence. The European University on Responsible Consumption and Production (EURECA-PRO) seeks to foster soft skills development in our activities and curricula.

Why non-technical skills matter in surgery. New paradigms for surgical leaders

The surgical literature is paying more and more attention to the topic of soft or non-technical skills (NTS), defined as those cognitive and social skills that characterize high-performing individuals and teams. NTS are essential in supporting surgeons in dealing with unexpected situations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NTS have been considered crucial in defining situation awareness, enhancing decision making, communicating among groups and teams, and fostering leadership. With a "looking back and planning forward" approach, the current perspective aims at deepening the contribution of NTS for surgeons to deal with the unexpected challenges posed by the COVID crisis, surgical emergencies, the introduction of new technologies in clinical practice, to understand how such skills may help shape the surgical leaders of the future.

Developing, conducting and evaluating the internship preparatory program (Ipp)

Background

Medical schools worldwide have employed different practices to facilitate a smooth transition from medical school into the internship phase to promote success in graduates’ future professional life. The College of Medicine at Princess Nourah University (PNU) has developed a unique internship preparatory program focusing on soft and clinical skills.

Objective

The aim of this study was to describe the internship preparatory program (IPP) and evaluate its effectiveness in improving medical students’ transition to internship.

Materials and methods

The IPP for fifth-year medical students at PNU was planned and designed based on students’ needs, the Saudi-Med framework, and similar national/international programs. The one-year longitudinal IPP in 2016–2017 covered four modules conducted as ten workshops focusing on soft skills, clinical skills, and professional development for the future. All data were analyzed by using SPSS version 20.

Results

The IPP was attended and evaluated by 48 participants; 70% of them attended 80% of the IPP workshops. The satisfaction rate for workshop participants was 6.8–8.8 out of 10. Most participants were either satisfied or strongly satisfied with respect to each item on the IPP satisfaction scale; the median satisfaction score was 4 out of 5. A positive significant correlation between the satisfaction score and the number of workshops attended was detected.

Conclusion

The IPP was a satisfying initiative for most participants. It refines their clinical and soft skills, facilitates future planning, and provides a smooth transition from medical school to internship.

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Internship preparatory program (IPP) refines the graduate's clinical skills.

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Internship preparatory program (IPP) refines the graduate's soft skills like communication and collaboration.

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IPP may facilitates future planning for future career.

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IPP provides a smooth transition from medical school to internship.

The concept of the invisible radiologist in the era of artificial intelligence

The radiologists were traditionally working in the background. What upgraded them as physicians during the second half of the past century was their clinical training and function precipitated by the evolution of Interventional Radiology and Medical Imaging, especially with ultrasonography. These allowed them to participate in patient's diagnosis and treatment by direct contact as well asvia multidisciplinary medical consultations. The wide application of teleradiology and PACS pushed radiologists back again which is no longer acceptable, especially in view of the amazing applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in Radiology. It is our belief that clinical radiologists have to be able to control the penetration of AI in Radiology, securing their work for the benefit of both clinicians and patients.

Retired Educators' Career Transition as a New Life Role of Underwriting Career Development in Botswana

Retired educators of Botswana strongly disagree with the idea that a retiree is a liability and cannot contribute to a system's advancement. The study explores retired educators' view that career development of young persons can benefit from retirees' career transitional experiences, through mentoring. In-depth interviews were conducted with 16 individuals and 3 groups of retirees. Career construction and phenomenological principles informed the study, while, thematic analysis reflected the experiences of retired educators. Four themes emerged, including, Meaningful experiences for retired educators and Recommendations for future education programmes. Interview excerpts are evidence for acquired self-awareness and leadership, soft skills, necessary for career development. Mentoring and reflective forums are some ways retired educators could be engaged in career development.

Being an excellent scientist is not enough to succeed! Soft skills for medical physicists

PURPOSE

To provide a review of the literature and commentary regarding soft skills for Medical Physicists.

METHOD

A comprehensive search in PubMed was carried out using the searchwords 'medical physics' coupled separately ('AND', both in Title) with each of the following terms: leadership, teamwork, communication, pedagog*, teach*, marketing, conflict resolution, negotiat*, qualitative research, organizational psychology.

RESULTS

The total number of PubMed references was extremely low (total 6 relevant articles for all of leadership, communication, pedagog*, teach*, with the rest of the searchwords giving zero hits) which is quite disturbing. For an improved perspective, we compared the search for 'leadership AND medical physics' to 'leadership AND medical' and 'leadership AND nursing' we only had 4 hits for Medical Physics as opposed to 564 for 'leadership AND medical' and 1419 for 'leadership AND nursing'.

CONCLUSIONS

It seems that Medical Physicists give an extremely low priority to soft skills as opposed to scientific skills. In a world of austerity economics and sometimes over commoditization such a situation is not only disturbing it is actually very risky for the profession. Medical Physicists must learn to provide strategic and robust leadership, be able to market their profession to all stakeholders (in particular to decision makers, other health care professions and the general public), be able to communicate their role, negotiate effectively for their profession, and boost their abilities for teambuilding and conflict resolution. The setting up of education programmes to overcome this soft skill deficit among medical physicists by national, regional and international medical physics organizations must be given priority.

Student perceptions of non-technical skills development during advanced pharmacy practice experiences

INTRODUCTION

In today's workforce, non-technical skills (NTS) are essential in determining an employee's ability to fit into an organization. However, it is unknown whether pharmacy students consider these skills essential to their future work or believe they are sufficiently trained. Therefore, this study evaluated student perceptions of the value of NTS as a pharmacist and their satisfaction with NTS training.

METHODS

A 45-item survey was distributed to 111 fourth-year pharmacy students at Texas A&M College of Pharmacy in March 2019. Given the diverse nature of NTS, this study collected student perceptions about the 2016 Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standard 4 Key Elements: self-awareness, leadership, innovation, and professionalism. Results were analyzed utilizing descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Approximately 84% (n = 93) of students completed the survey. More students perceived professionalism as an important skill to have, followed by leadership, self-awareness, and innovation. Similar results were shown with students' satisfaction with NTS training. Also, results highlighted that students' satisfaction level with their NTS training and their belief regarding their strengths relied on two factors: the number of advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) where NTS training occurred and the amount of time spent practicing the NTS.

CONCLUSION

These data add to the existing literature to support NTS training in experiential pharmacy education. While APPEs should not be the only setting where these skills are practiced in the curriculum, our study's findings may further guide curricular priorities and assessment strategies for NTS in the experiential setting.

Benefits of delivering research podium presentations by students enrolled in pharmacy programs: A descriptive study

INTRODUCTION

Objectives include (1) To create an opportunity for students enrolled in pharmacy programs to enhance their presentation skills by delivering research podium presentations at a regional conference; (2) To probe students' experience about podium presentations at the inaugural American Association for the Advancement of Science Pacific Division (AAAS PD) - American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Students' Symposium; and (3) To introduce student pharmacists to science-oriented research.

METHODS

The student presenters were asked to anonymously answer 15 questions before and after the symposium. Question topics included factual information about students' background and favorability perceptions about symposia. Scores were compared between pharmacy students and non-pharmacy students, and favorability ratings were compared before and after the symposium.

RESULTS

Thirteen students delivered their podium presentations at the symposium entitled "Pharmaceutical Research and Development: From Bench to Patient-Centered Care" that was held in Pomona, California at the 99th Annual Meeting of the AAAS PD in 2018. Pharmacy and non-pharmacy students provided similar responses on favorability perceptions. Post-symposium perceptions were more favorable towards symposia compared to pre-symposium scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Favorability scores revealed a positive perception of the event and what it offered in terms of scientific benefits, networking opportunities, and enhancing soft skills. Participating students had the chance to (1) prepare and independently deliver a podium presentation on pharmacy-related research topics at a regional meeting; (2) network and learn from each other and professionals in the audience about pharmacy research; and (3) practice soft skills such as communication, time-management, teamwork, scientific writing, and presentation skills.

Professionalism development through the curriculum: Developing a new system for identifying and tracking professional behavior lapses

INTRODUCTION

Pharmacy education has evolved from focusing on knowledge alone to highlighting personal and professional growth. Providing a standardized process for tracking, mentoring, and guiding students in professionalism and other soft skills may help achieve compliance with the current Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Education Educational Outcomes and Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education Standards 2016.

COMMENTARY

Becoming a pharmacist requires more than demonstrating proficiency in tasks and responsibilities associated with pharmacy practice. Exhibiting strong professional behavior and soft skills are important for the clinical practice environment. These behaviors are more difficult to measure due to the broad definition of professionalism. In the academic setting, it is important to identify students struggling in this area.

IMPLICATIONS

Promotion of professional behavior and soft skills development is a responsibility of higher education; however, it is difficult to assess. Development and implementation of an effective tracking and monitoring system for professionalism lapses will aid in identifying students struggling with professional behavior and offer mentoring opportunities for student personal growth and professional development.

Medical informatics labor market analysis using web crawling, web scraping, and text mining

OBJECTIVES

The European University Association (EUA) defines "employability" as a major goal of higher education. Therefore, competence-based orientation is an important aspect of education. The representation of a standardized job profile in the field of medical informatics, which is based on the most common labor market requirements, is fundamental for identifying and conveying the learning goals corresponding to these competences.

METHODS

To identify the most common requirements, we extracted 544 job advertisements from the German job portal, STEPSTONE. This process was conducted via a program we developed in R with the "rvest" library, utilizing web crawling, web extraction, and text mining. After removing duplicates and filtering for jobs that required a bachelor's degree, 147 job advertisements remained, from which we extracted qualification terms. We categorized the terms into six groups: professional expertise, soft skills, teamwork, processes, learning, and problem-solving abilities.

RESULTS

The results showed that only 45% of the terms are related to professional expertise, while 55% are related to soft skills. Studies of employee soft skills have shown similar results. The most prevalent terms were programming, experience, project, and server. Our second major finding is the importance of experience, further underlining how essential practical skills are.

CONCLUSIONS

Previous studies used surveys and narrative descriptions. This is the first study to use web crawling, web extraction, and text mining. Our research shows that soft skills and specialist knowledge carry equal weight. The insights gained from this study may be of assistance in developing curricula for medical informatics.

The importance of soft skills development in a hard data world: learning from interviews with healthcare leaders

BACKGROUND

Learning healthcare systems have invested heavily in training primary care staff to provide care using patient-centered medical home models, but less is known about how to effectively lead such teams to deliver high quality care. Research is needed to better understand which healthcare leadership skills are most utilized or in need of development through additional training.

METHOD

Semi-structured telephone interviews with healthcare leaders familiar with Patient-Aligned Care Teams (PACT) implementation in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We interviewed sixteen (N = 16) physician, nursing, and administrative leaders at VA facilities located in the upper Midwestern United States. Content analysis of interviews transcripts using template techniques.

RESULTS

Participants described instrumental challenges that they perceived hindered leadership effectiveness, including the supervisory structure; pace of change; complexity of the clinical data infrastructure; an over-reliance on technology for communication; and gaps in available leadership training. Factors perceived as facilitating effective leadership included training in soft skills, face-to-face communication, and opportunities for formal training and mentorship. A cross-cutting theme was the importance of developing "soft skills" for effective PACT leadership.

CONCLUSIONS

Although formal leadership training and development were perceived as beneficial, healthcare leaders familiar with PACT implementation in the VA described a mismatch between the skills and knowledge PACT leaders need to succeed and the training available to them. Closing this gap could improve retention of skilled and knowledgeable healthcare leaders, thereby reducing the costs associated with training and leading to improvements in healthcare delivery.

The Soft Skills Inventory: Developmental procedures and psychometric analysis

When attending and participating in Higher Education, students face a multitude of personal, social, and work-related challenges, which may increase the risk of developing psychopathological symptomatology. To date, there is no instrument that grasps the non-technical skills that may help prepare students to respond to these challenges. This paper presents the development and psychometric properties of the Soft Skills Inventory (SSI). The inventory was developed based on theoretical and empirical findings on the skills associated with academic and professional success, and on students' perception. The SSI was tested with 2030 Portuguese students (of which 77.1% were female) using a two-stage approach: item calibration and model generation (n = 1033), followed by model validation (n = 997). Item calibration analyses led to retaining 49 items that were organized into six-factors: self-determination, resilience, empathy, assertiveness, social support, and teamwork. This measurement model was further validated and proved to be an invariant, and thus credible, tool to compare male and female students on those relevant skills. All measures attained good internal consistency, with alphas ranging from .76 to .88. Female students scored significantly higher than males on self-determination, empathy, social support and teamwork. On the other hand, male students scored significantly higher on resilience. No significant differences were found between men and women for assertiveness. Psychometric analysis showed that the SSI is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate students intra and interpersonal skills. The SSI may help identify gaps in soft skills and guide targeted interventions to support a more positive student experience in Higher Education.

The relevance of transversal competences in vocational education and training: a bibliometric analysis

Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes have included the acquisition of transversal competences in their curricula as a tool to increase employability. The number of researches has exponentially grown in the last years, emphasizing its relevance and the multiple approaches and factors involved in the learning process. The present bibliometric study aims to provide an overview of the scientific research carried out during the last 10 years and to shed some light on several relevant topics in this field. The results indicate the need to improve students' transversal competences in order to meet the demands of the labour market, the importance of the collaboration of all the actors involved in the process (policy makers, industry and educators) and from a pedagogical point of view, the necessity of introducing new teaching approaches to implement and assess the acquisition of transversal competences. However, and despite the surge of interest in the study of transversal competences in the last decade, further empirical research is needed, especially at Vocational Education and Training level, to understand how transversal competences develop and what kind of initiatives have an impact of their acquisition.

Soft skills and implications for future professional practice: Qualitative findings of a nursing education escape room

BACKGROUND

Educational escape rooms have been shown to improve student content knowledge; however, research about other skills developed during escape rooms is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To explore baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of a cardiovascular-themed educational escape room. During the data analysis, researchers uncovered unique findings related to participant soft skill development and implications for participant future professional practice.

DESIGN

A basic interpretive qualitative methodology was used.

SETTING

The study was conducted at a medium-sized, private, not-for-profit university in the Midwest United States.

PARTICIPANTS

Baccalaureate nursing students who had recently participated in a cardiovascular-themed educational escape room were purposefully recruited.

METHODS

A total of two focus groups were conducted using a semi-structured focus group guide. Data were analyzed using a conventional content analysis approach with both inductive and deductive components.

RESULTS

Four overarching themes were identified in the data, including game and learner characteristics, learning outcomes, and implications for future professional practice. The theme of implications for future professional practice included two sub-themes: soft skill development and the real-life nature of the activity.

CONCLUSION

A nursing educational escape room may be one strategy to enhance student professional practice skills.